The Kiss
by Kitty in the Box
Summary: UPDATED! Sakuragi fast asleep. A strange girl. A kiss. Who is she? My first SD fanfic lovingly-inspired by my darling redhead. THREE new longer chapters just uploaded. This is for you all! Thank you!
1. The Sleeping Giant

It felt so wrong. Oh why did she have to wander off this far from home? She didn't have to but here she was.  
  
And there he was. Arms spread apart. Legs spread apart. So tired. So handsome. So fast asleep.  
  
The sun was beating so hot on the small basketball ground of the neighborhood lot but still he lay there. His face was sweating. Still he was fast asleep.  
  
She swallowed hard.  
  
This is so wrong. So wrong.  
  
But then chances are chances. You never plan such things in life. They just come as they are.  
  
And with that thought in mind, she knelt closely beside him so careful as not to jar his outstretched arms or legs. He was breathing deep and low. She stared at the up and down motion of his chest and laid her hand on it and marveled how warm he was, how broad his chest, the rising motion of his chest as it quivered her hand.  
  
She took it back.  
  
She pulled out her handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. Oh she would have wiped him all over if only the fear of waking him did not torture her so much. She had to content herself with his forehead.  
  
Then her handkerchief slowly moved to wipe the bridge of his nose. His thick dark eyebrows, his temples, his cheeks.  
  
She found her fingers linger in his lips. She could feel his breath coming out of them from her fingertips. It was warm. So warm. He is so warm all over.  
  
Gently she traced the lines of his mouth. Please don't wake up yet. Please let me.do this.  
  
Would it be a sin? Would she regret this? Is this all wrong?  
  
She would be damned if she didn't act upon it right away. Didn't they say that once moment comes, you have to take it or the moment passes away?  
  
She carefully knelt closer to his face and kissed him.  
  
Gods!  
  
So soft. She expected it would be rough. Just like the way he talked. Like the way he moved around. But she was wrong. Oh how soft his lips are! So incredibly smooth and warm.  
  
She wanted more but it would be too much to ask already. It would be wrong. She imagined that he would smack her on the face if he found a strange girl bending over him and much more kissing him.  
  
Would he really smack her on the face?  
  
A sudden fear crept inside her. Then he moaned.  
  
She was wide-eyed, she nearly fell back from where she sat.  
  
"Sweet." He murmured.  
  
Gods! He said something. She watched as he pursed his lips and returned to his deep and low breathing.  
  
She clutched to her chest. He said 'sweet'. The kiss she gave was sweet. She could hear her heart pounding madly in her ears.  
  
She knelt closer to him again and kissed him tenderly on the forehead.  
  
"I love you. I"ve always been so inlove with you, if you only knew." She whispered softly to his ear. She smiled and stroked his cheek one more time.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a chorus of young boys from the alley coming towards the basketball court. She looked at her watch. Oh no! It was 10:00 A.M.  
  
She scampered and immediately left Sakuragi still sleeping on the grounds. 


	2. Wake up, Sakuragi!

"OOOOOOOKIIIIIIIII!!!!!" (big) The group of three young boys chorused as they saw the young man lying down on the ground.  
  
"LOOK! HE HAS RED HAIR!!! HE'S SO HUGE!" the smallest of the three squealed and pointed.  
  
"Shhhh!!! Keep your voice down, Tetsu!" the tallest of the boys tapped his back.  
  
"Guys, I don't think it's a good idea to play here today. Can we just go to the malls or watch TV or something, please?" the sleepy-eyed boy suggested.  
  
"No way, Hiro! I didn't go through a lot of trouble trying to borrow this ball from my uncle for nothing, y'know."  
  
"But, Ken!" Hiro complained.  
  
"I said no way so shut up!" Ken replied in a hushed tone.  
  
"Oi! Oi! Look at me!" Tetsu approached the sleeping man and laid next to him.  
  
"Tetsu! What the hell..?" Ken barely was able to hold on to his friend to stop him.  
  
"How tall am I?" Tetsu was beaming.  
  
"You're up to his waist. Now get back here!" Ken was getting impatient.  
  
"I bet in just a few more months, I'll be as tall as this guy." Tetsu smiled.  
  
"Not in a million years. Ken, will you get the kid or he is gonna get plastered there." Hiro lazily said.  
  
"I'm not a kid! I'm a boy!" Tetsu protested.  
  
"Yeah, whatever you are!" Ken pulled him up. But Sakuragi gave out a sneeze and began to move.  
  
Tetsu was about to scream if not for Ken who quickly covered his mouth. Hiro jumped. They all remained frozen in their positions.  
  
Sakuragi merely moved to his left side and began to snore soundly.  
  
The three boys swallowed hard.  
  
"That was close." Ken released Tetsu.  
  
"I told you, guys. It's really not a good time to be here. Let's get out of here, okay?" Hiro pleaded.  
  
"I still want to play." Ken stoically replied and folded his arms.  
  
"Geez!" Hiro rolled his eyes and stomped his foot.  
  
"Well, how do you think we are gonna play here with this guy lying right in the middle of the court?" Tetsu frowned.  
  
"Anou.that's easy. Just wake him up." Ken shrugged.  
  
"And who do you think would that be, oh fearless leader?" Hiro asked.  
  
"Tetsu." Ken nudged Tetsu's arm.  
  
"Why do I have to be the one?" Tetsu pouted.  
  
"Because you're the youngest." Ken sounded unsure.  
  
"And the smallest." Hiro added.  
  
"What does my height and my age have to do with it?" Tetsu looked very confused.  
  
"Aw! Just do it. We're right behind you." Ken encouraged him.  
  
"Why do I always have to do the job?" Tetsu clenched his small fists.  
  
"Because that's the way things go, okay." Hiro said exasperatedly.  
  
"I'm gonna get you both for this." Tetsu pointed at them.  
  
"Stop it now. I promise I'll lend you my latest Evangelion mecha model when we get back home." Ken flashed him a V-sign.  
  
"You can also watch the series at my place." Hiro smiled.  
  
Tetsu looked at his grinning companions. He looked at sleeping Sakuragi. Then back to his companions. His face was in deep thought. Evangelion was definitely worth the sacrifice.  
  
"Okay." He shrugged and knelt beside Sakuragi and tapped his shoulder.  
  
"Ne.ne.onii-chan, wake up now!" (means big brother)  
  
"Say it louder, he can't hear you." Ken said.  
  
"What if he gets mad at me?" Tetsu looked like he was about to cry.  
  
"No he won't. if he does, we'll pound him." Hiro replied.  
  
"Uh.okay." Tetsu said.  
  
'ONII-CHAN!!! ONIII-CHAN!!! WAKE UP NOW!!!!" Tetsu screamed on Sakuragi's ear.  
  
Sakuragi sat up immediately and one arm grabbed the little boy's shoulder.  
  
"KYAAAA!!!!" Tetsu whinced.  
  
Ken and Hiro got out from their hiding spot and tried to pull Tetsu away from Sakuragi.  
  
"Oi! Let him go!" Ken tried to release Sakuragi's grip. Sakuragi easily released Tetsu who turned pale.  
  
"What are you kids doing here and screaming like that? Don't you know how to behave with your elders?" Sakuragi was still quite stirred up from his sleep. He remembered he was in the middle of a really nice dream, it almost felt so real.  
  
"We just came here to play. Aren't you the one who's supposed to be somewhere and sleeping on a bed or something?" Ken smirked.  
  
"Gomen nasai." (Sorry) Tetsu approached Sakuragi.  
  
Sakuragi looked at the smallest boy. He looked like he was about to break into tears any moment. His long straight bangs looked like it was eating his face. He was all bangs and a skinny body. He stood up and patted his head.  
  
"Daijoubu da yo." (that's alright) He smiled.  
  
The boys looked at him amazed at his incredible height. Sakuragi towered all over them.  
  
"Onii-chan, onamae wa? (what's your name?) Hiro tugged at Sakuragi's shorts.  
  
"Sakuragi Hanamichi."  
  
"Tensai basketboru man, Hanamichi Sakuragi, desu ka?" Ken was awestruck.  
  
With that Sakuragi gave his unmistakable laugh. "Hai! Hai! It's me. The one and only!"  
  
"So you're the one my uncle used to tell me all about." Ken could not believe his ears.  
  
"Who's your uncle?"  
  
"Akira Sendo"  
  
"Wah! Hontou ga?" (is it true) Sakuragi was impressed. It wasn't everyday, kids would come up to him and look at him with such reverence but to have been talked about by the venerable and undisputed Akira Sendo, it was just too much.  
  
"Hai! Hontou! Hontou!" (yes, it's true) Ken was excited,  
  
"What are your names?"  
  
"Boku wa Ken."  
  
"Hiro desu."  
  
"Tetsu desu. Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Tetsu bowed.  
  
Sakuragi knelt before them so he could talk to them at eye level.  
  
"Aren't you kids, supposed to be at school?"  
  
"It's a Sunday." Hiro replied.  
  
"NANI?!' Sakuragi was surprised.  
  
"Eh?" Tetsu was surprised at his reaction.  
  
"Ima nanji desu ka?" (what time is it now?) Sakuragi asked.  
  
"10:30 a.m." Tetsu looked at his watch.  
  
"AH! I HAVE TO GO NOW! YOU BOYS, TAKE CARE! SEE YA AROUND!" Sakuragi was quickly stood up and dashed out of the play lot.  
  
"Onii-chan!!! You forgot something!" Tetsu chased after him.  
  
Sakuragi stopped as Tetsu handed him the handkerchief.  
  
"Arigatou!' Sakuragi took it but was too distracted to notice if the thing really belonged to him. He really had to leave right away.  
  
Tetsu returned to his companions who were now deep in another argument.  
  
"When I grow up, I'm gonna have my hair colored red too." Ken declared.  
  
"I'm gonna keep mine that way it is. Only longer." Hiro contested.  
  
"When I grow up, I'm gonna change my hair and my looks in so many ways." Tetsu cheered.  
  
"Sure you do. Let's play ball!" Ken tackled Tetsu.  
  
The three boys began to play. 


	3. Creepy!

"Tadaima!" (I'm home)  
  
"Okaeri!"  
  
"EH?"  
  
Nani ? the girl looked incredulously at the older lady. She was panting heavily and beads of sweat were forming continuously on her forehead.  
  
"Oi! Oi! You look like you were chased by a dog or a ghost or a ghost of a dog or something!" the older lady, Yoko pointed at the younger girl.  
  
"Atashi?" (me?) the younger girl pointed at herself cluelessly.  
  
"No, it's the door behind you. OF COURSE, IT'S YOU!" Yoko twitched.  
  
"Ehehehe.anou..betsuni" (it's nothing) She was scrambling for an explanation.  
  
"Betsuni ka? You're sweating like a pig. You're blushing like a tomato." Yoko approached her younger sister closer.  
  
"Sou da!" (that's it) Yoko exclaimed and pointed to her sister accusingly.  
  
"Eck?!" the younger girl cringed.  
  
"Your smile is creepy!" Yoko was peering at her sister's face even closer making the other girl squirm and trapped at the door.  
  
"Ne, onee-san (big sister) don't look at me like that. You're scaring me." She pouted and then smiled guiltily at her sister.  
  
"SCARY?! I'm scaring you? You're the one who looks scary here, little lady!" Yoko's eyes were narrowed as she huffed and then patted her sister's shoulder.  
  
"Anyways, go get my sunglasses. It's on top of the table near the drop light." Yoko turned to fix her bag on the sofa.  
  
The younger girl remained standing next to the door and staring at her sister.  
  
"Well..? Are you gonna just stand there like a post? Go get my glasses. Hayaku!" (quickly!) Yoko crossed her arms and looked at her sister.  
  
"Ah! Hai!" Like someone suddenly pricked by a pin on the butt, she sped upstairs to the room to get Yoko's glasses.  
  
"Kore." She handed her sister's glasses. "Anou.what time will you be home?" "Well, the usual, of course. You know how it is at the restaurant on Sundays." Yoko put on her sunglasses and tucked her bag under her arm.  
  
"Sore ja! I'll pack you some dimsum when I get home, ne?" Yoko winked at her sister.  
  
"Let it be beef, onegai?" (please) the younger girl tugged at Yoko's arm.  
  
"Ah! Choosy kid are you?! I'll see what I can scavenge at the kitchen. Don't forget to lock the door and don't let strangers in the house, okay?" Yoko raised an eyebrow at her sister.  
  
"Hai! Hai!" The younger girl saluted her. "Take care!" and watched Yoko leave the front porch.  
  
"Wash that face of yours, it's creepy!" Yoko waved at her.  
  
"Don't forget my dimsum, onee-san!" She jumped.  
  
"I won't, creepy face!" Yoko gave her sister a grin and waved goodbye.  
  
The younger girl stuck out her tongue, smiled, waved back then closed the door.  
  
Click. The door was locked.  
  
"Ah! Mou! That was close! Whew!" She wiped her sweat from her forehead.  
  
"Creepy face? Me?" With that said, she ran to the bathroom sink and began to splash water to her face.  
  
"But I don't look creepy, I'm just.just." She saw her face began to contort into that creepy silly smile again.  
  
"Oh no! She's right. I do look creepy! Why can't this smile get off my face?" She began to splash more water to her face until she got her shirt wet.  
  
More splashes. Splash. Splash. The bathroom floor was wet. Her shirt soaking wet. Hair dripping wet.  
  
She looked at the mirror again. This was futile. The face on the mirror still reflected the silly smiling face.  
  
Dear Lord! I was so freaking obvious.  
  
She began to talk to her reflection on the mirror.  
  
This time, she let the smile take its place. "But it was wonderful, wasn't it? Did you see how he smiled and said 'Sweet'?"  
  
"Can you still feel how soft those lips were? Wouldn't it have been nicer to stay longer, had it not only for those kids coming?" She grinned.  
  
"This is a major breakthrough, you know. Moments like these are not to be wasted. They are to be remembered forever, ne?" She sounded like she was lecturing.  
  
She saw her cheeks turn bright red.  
  
"Ah!! You see, how you're making me feel? Look at my cheeks, silly! Hah!" She accused the mirror.  
  
"I'll never be the same, you know." She batted her eyelashes dreamily.  
  
She opted to take a quick shower and changed into dry clothes.  
  
She began to pace restlessly back and forth in the living room. What to do? What to do? I feel jumpy.  
  
She turned on the television. It was the sports channel. The highlights of the NBA Championship Games.  
  
She nearly shrieked and quickly turned it off.  
  
"Don't do that!" She clutched her chest and fell off on the sofa.  
  
She slumped on the sofa and stared at the telephone.  
  
"I can't let this go on forever. If I can't let this out, I'll just die."  
  
She dialed the number.  
  
"Ah, moshi! Moshi! Could I speak to Noriko-chan?"  
  
"Hai! Noriko desu." A cheerful voice replied.  
  
"Noriko-chan, it's me." She introduced in a hushed tone.  
  
"Of course, it's you. I can tell by your voice, it's you. Oh, why are you calling me now? Did you know that you have just interrupted a very special moment I am having here?"  
  
"What moment?"  
  
"I'm making love with the TV."  
  
"Uh.Okay." Her voice was still hushed.  
  
Why the hell are you talking like that? Do you have a cold? Are you sick?"  
  
"Iyya! Anou.I feel strange. I've never felt this way before and you got to listen to me if you can't, I know I'll just die and all. Something very strange and overwhelming has happened to me today. Something that has never ever, ever happened before." Her hushed tone began to take on a high pitch.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Noriko-chan? Are you still there?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"NORIKO-CHAN!!!"  
  
"You sound creepy."  
  
"Ahh!! Cut it out with that creepy word. My sister said the same thing too."  
  
"She's right!"  
  
"Who's side are you on?"  
  
"But you are creepy, creepy, creepy, CREEEEEEEPPPPPPYYYYY!!!"  
  
"Noriko-chan, c'mon, what do you think is happening to me?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know, you only gave me a very vague description of what you're feeling and I am not psychic. I do not read minds."  
  
"I know you won't let me down, my friend. That is why I love you so much."  
  
Okay, creepy girl. I'll see you in school tomorrow so we can discuss this creepiness of yours."  
  
"YATTA!!!! ARIGATO! (thank you) You're the bestest friend ever!!" She began to scream.  
  
"Mochiron! (certainly) okay, now leave me alone because I'm having a L'arc- en-Ciel video marathon. Haido-sama needs me!!!"  
  
"Haido?!!! But you have seen those videos for a million times already."  
  
"And your point is? Look, it's a bright Sunday, Haido is so kakkoii (cool) and there's just no way in hell am I going to let all his coolness go to waste and what better way to spend quality time with someone you love?"  
  
"Hai. I give up. Well, I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"  
  
"Ja ne!" Noriko immediately hung up.  
  
Yoshi. 


	4. The Good, The Bad and The Angry

"I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN!!!!!!!!"  
  
The flaming redheaded self-proclaimed genius was muttering madly and repeatedly to himself.  
  
He left the small play lot from the boys in a haze.  
  
Faster than a speeding locomotive.  
  
He did not bring his bike and so he had to run like a crazed speed freak to his house.  
  
Why in hell did he not wake up?  
  
How long has he slept?  
  
Is he not too late yet?  
  
But all these thoughts were far too important for this genius to analyze.  
  
What matters now is speed. Go home no matter what. There was no time to lose. Thankfully, no knuckleheads were around to delay him.  
  
Hehehe..they had to be grateful and fortunate for not getting in his way on a bright Sunday like this.  
  
Three blocks more.  
  
Two blocks more.  
  
Nyahahaha..  
  
One block more.  
  
And finally!  
  
"HEY! YO! SAKURAGI IN THE HOUSE!!!!" He declared as soon as his feet reached the front porch and opened the door loudly.  
  
The Sakuragi Gundan looked up at him from the floor.  
  
"You're late." They all lazily replied.  
  
"NANI???!!!!" (WHAT) Sakuragi turned even redder than his hair. If he had bat wings this very moment, they sprouted already.  
  
"USSO!!!!" (Lies) Sakuragi's optimism was hanging on a balance.  
  
"USSO JANAI!" (It's the truth) Yohei defended.  
  
Sakuragi picked up Takamiya by the collar and with eyes turning like the devil asked, "HONTOU?" (really)  
  
Takamiya merely fixed his glasses and replied matter-of-factly. "Hai." (yes)  
  
"HONTOU NO HONTOU????" Sakuragi's voice was getting even more desperate by the second.  
  
Takamiya just nodded his head this time. His chubby face epitomed that of an old doctor trying to console a bereaved family.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!" (idiot/stupid/silly)  
  
Takamiya was shook violently like a rag doll. His glasses, remarkably remained plastered to his face.  
  
"Oi! Oi! Hanamichi!! Yamero!" (stop) Ohkuso tried to loosen Sakuragi's fists on Takamiya's plump body, which looked like it, was about to burst anytime now.  
  
Noma merely looked lazily at his homicidal-looking friend and stretched his arms and yawned.  
  
"If you haven't been late then you would have been able to catch up."  
  
Sakuragi put down a dizzy and twirling Takamiya.  
  
"Where have you been anyway? We tried looking for you. We even dropped by the school just in case but the gym was closed." Yohei asked.  
  
"Anou....I was....ahm......" Sakuragi had to think of a brilliant idea to cover up for his lateness. Either ways they all had a point.  
  
"Doko?" (where) Ohkuso asked.  
  
"Play lot."  
  
"What in the world you were doing there?" Noma frowned.  
  
"Practice."  
  
"Not good enough." Takamiya raised his glasses.  
  
"Well you try doing 300 hoop shots and let's see!" Sakuragi said defensively.  
  
"But that does not explain much why you were late, you could have alerted yourself." Ohkuso scratched his head.  
  
"Okay! Fine! I was sleeping! I did not wake up, if not for those kids." Sakuragi said dejectedly.  
  
The four guys smirked in unison.  
  
"So, guys, tell me who won in the NBA Finals." Sakuragi smiled sweetly.  
  
The four guys gave him an evil grin.  
  
"Onegai?" (please) Sakuragi pleaded.  
  
Silence.  
  
"AH!!! YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME WHO WON?" Sakuragi was horrified.  
  
"ZEN-ZEN." (no) they chorused and began whistling.  
  
"What kind of people are you? I thought you're my friends!" Sakuragi was now experiencing a tremendous bout of self-pity. It was enough to accept that he was late. Enough for him to accept that he was sleeping because if it weren't for those kids in the play lot, he would still be flat on his back till this very minute. But it was just too much that these guys were not going to tell him which team won in the NBA Finals that he has so longed anticipated.  
  
"Well, my friend, if you haven't been sleeping around then you could have known which team won. Easy." Noma snapped his fingers at Sakuragi whose eyes were turning into a puddle of tears.  
  
"And speaking of sleeping, isn't that supposed to be Rukawa's specialty?" Takamiya peered closer at Sakuragi's sad dejected face.  
  
That does it.  
  
If not knowing which team won in the Finals was going to be the one thing that was going to plague Sakuragi for the rest of his life, he could live with that.  
  
Except one.  
  
Takamiya swallowed hard. Just one name.  
  
Noma instantly assumed a meditative lotus position.  
  
Ohkuso joined him in prayer.  
  
"Sakuragi?" Yohei flashed one of his trademark peace offering smiles.  
  
Takamiya was sweating nonstop and remained frozen in his position from where Sakuragi towered over him.  
  
Takamiya swore he saw a silhouette of horns sprouting from Sakuragi's flaming red head. He was seeing things. This is not good.  
  
Noma and Ohkuso were now chanting loudly.  
  
Yohei has now joined in and the three guys were holding their hands up together.  
  
"Did you just say what I heard you said????" Sakuragi said grimly. The four guys looked at him smiling guiltily and flashed a V-sign in unison.  
  
And so hell broke lose. 


	5. Sleeping Beauty Meets Tank Girl

English. The class was unusually quiet. English has never been anyone's favorite subject and so that explains it all. Many have argued why they even have to learn such when it is quite obvious that this language won't be used everyday. Some students cringed. Some looked impatient. Some looked bored. Some looked like they were somewhere else.  
  
The teacher Okano Hajime scanned the entire class and found one student who looked the perfect example of someone who obviously looked like was anywhere but the classroom.  
  
"Okay, class. We have finished discussing about the parts of speech and now I want one of you to give me an adjective and use it in a sentence."  
  
He proceeded to walk around the classroom and stopped at one student.  
  
"Stand up, please."  
  
"Atashi?" She looked up at him cluelessly.  
  
"No. The window behind you. Of course, YOU."  
  
The girl swallowed hard.  
  
"Give me an adjective and use it in a sentence." The bald-headed teacher raised his eyebrows. He looked at the young girl inquisitively. She obviously was spaced out at this time of the day. Maybe he ought to change the seat plan again, he thought. Students who sat near the window usually spaced out the most. And on top of that this girl had been carrying this ridiculous smile since the beginning of class.  
  
Creepy. His eyes narrowed and looked at her even more suspiciously.  
  
"Anou.." The girl muttered and scratched her head absently.  
  
"Are you with us?' Okano Hajime raised his eyebrow.  
  
"Ah, hai." There. That smile again. She is really not herself today.  
  
"And the adjective is.."  
  
"Sweet." Her eyes nearly popped out when she said it.  
  
"Okay, now use it in a sentence."  
  
The creepy smile was plastered on her face again. This time it was even more disturbing. "His lips were sweet." She uttered it melodiously.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Eh? Did you say LIPS?" Did he hear right?  
  
Twitch!  
  
"Yadda! I mean, his HIPS! NO, I MEAN DIPS! NO! I MEAN...NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" The girl was flailing her hands to him and to everybody. She was in a panic. Some of the boys tried hard to suppress a laugh. Some of the girls giggled.  
  
Twitch! Twitch!  
  
She shook her head. She was at a loss. Spaced out alright. A classic case.  
  
"Ah! Gomen! Gomen!" She was bowing repeatedly.  
  
"What in the world are you apologizing for?"  
  
"I do not know." The girl replied cluelessly and still bowing.  
  
The whole class thundered.  
  
Two seats to the left of the second row, Noriko sweatdropped.  
  
"There is nothing wrong with your sentence, you may take your seat."  
  
"Arigatou, sensei." The girl felt like wanting to jump out of the window already. She was blushing like a tomato.  
  
"Next.." Okano Hajime scanned the class for another spaced out soul.  
  
The girl looked at her friend Noriko and bit her lip. Noriko shook her head in response. Her friend sure was acting creepy.  
  
The bell rang!  
  
"ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU, SENSEI!" As the class has finally ended.  
  
"MATA ASHITA NE!!" (see you tomorrow)  
  
Noriko immediately approached her friend who was now busy fixing her bag.  
  
"Ne?"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"That was quite a show you put up earlier. Where were you?"  
  
"Ah! Mou! That wasn't a show. I mean, it was.well, he..adjective. That was all I could think about that time and...oh! can we please forget any of this ever happened?" The girl was beginning to feel uneasy again.  
  
"Let's get out of here now." Noriko began to tug her friend's sleeve.  
  
"Okay." She smiled.  
  
"I'm going to get us a soda down the hall, okay?" Noriko chirped.  
  
As she proceeds to walk down the hall, Noriko gets bumped hard on the back. She falls but ends up kneeling.  
  
"NORIKO-CHAN!!!!" Her friend was so surprised.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL?!!! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WILL YAH? ARE YOU BLIND?" Noriko yelled.  
  
Only then she realized too late that the pair of feet behind her, belonged to a man.  
  
Big.  
  
Her eyes climbed up to the knees.  
  
Higher.  
  
Higher.  
  
White shirt.  
  
Two notebooks in one hand.  
  
One hand in the pocket.  
  
Higher.  
  
Face.  
  
Eyes shut.  
  
Drool.  
  
Oh.  
  
My..  
  
God..  
  
Noriko swallowed hard. She was practically on her knees staring at the school's most popular narcoleptic.  
  
"Ru..ru..kawa-kun? Sumimasen." Noriko's eyes began to bubble.  
  
The dark-haired fox-faced narcoleptic merely looked at her stoically and the only response was,  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Noriko's heart began to pound hard. It was so deafening. Just as she was struggling to stand up, her knees began to feel weak.  
  
"Rukawa-kun.." Just as she was about to say something when..  
  
Suddenly out of nowhere an army of girls began to march along the hallway.  
  
"RUKAWA! RUKAWA! RUKAWA! L-O-V-E! RUKAWA! RUKAWA!" AH! DAIJOUBU, RUKAWA-KUN?" They all gave him a heart wrenching concerned look.  
  
"Ah..anou..sumimasen.." Noriko smiled sheepishly at everyone then returned her gaze at the sleepyhead.  
  
"If you had anything else better to do, then you must know that you must never ever get in his way, do you hear?" One chinky-eyed girl scolded Noriko. The rest of the girls frowned at Noriko on cue and surrounded her.  
  
Noriko clenched her fists.  
  
"NORIKO-CHAN!!!!" She could hear her friend from the hall.  
  
"Hmph!!!" The chinky-eyed girl snobbed her. Before they knew it, the Rukawa girls sees Rukawa walking alone on the hall the whole time.  
  
"AH!!! RUKAWA-KUN!!! MINNA! (everyone) FOLLOW HIM!" And the hall echoed with their cheer as they ran to catch up with Rukawa.  
  
"OI!!! MATTE!!!" Noriko yelled at the girls.  
  
"Noriko-chan! Cool it, will you?" Her friend finally caught up with her.  
  
"Anou baka!!!! (That idiot!) YOU THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT? I HOPE YOU ALL FAIL AND ROT HERE IN HIGH SCHOOL FOREVER AND EVER!!!!!" Noriko raised her fist at them. She was red with anger.  
  
"Noriko-chan, yamete kudasai (stop it please) You know how those girls are." She tried to pull her friend away from where they stood.  
  
"You don't understand." Noriko frowned at her.  
  
"Nani?" Her friend looked surprised.  
  
"He looked at me."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you have ANY IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS?"  
  
"Are you sure he looked at you because, you know, it's pretty hard to tell under those sleepy eyes he has and all."  
  
"I'm serious. Rukawa looked at me. That means acknowledgment. That means he NOTICED ME!!! Me! Yamaguchi Noriko. The most popular basketball player and the handsomest person in this planet Rukawa Kaede NOTICED ME!!!"  
  
"Okay."  
  
'OKAY?! That is not just OKAY. This means a lot of things. This is a breakthrough. Do you see, a BREAKTHROUGH." Noriko was shaking her friend while holding onto her shoulders.  
  
"So what did that guy say to you?"  
  
Noriko released her friend. "Well..anou...he said..ahm..Eh?"  
  
"HE SAID WHAT?"  
  
"Eh?" Noriko bit her lip.  
  
"That's not even a word."  
  
"BUT WHO CARES?! All that really matters is that man noticed me. How many people ever get that, huh? How many people in this entire school ever get through his cold exterior? How many people get this kind of chance? I bet not even those moronic girls ever get that chance. They must be wishing every night before they go to sleep that they got the chance like I did."  
  
"Wow." Her friend shook her head as she stared at Noriko.  
  
"So you see my point now?"  
  
"Oh, sure. But I think we better leave now before you make an entire campaign speech here. You should run for president, you know." Her friend chuckled.  
  
"I know. I also know that I'm a whole lot better than that chinky-eyed bitch and the rest of all that moronic girls who follow Rukawa everyday here in school. They think they could ever get through him that way. For all they know, Rukawa merely thinks of them as one annoying bunch of stupid fangirls dogging him around."  
  
"Hai. Hai. For all they know, he could think nothing of them."  
  
"You're right. A man of Rukawa's nature doesn't need so many women. He only needs one. Just one. The right one."  
  
"And you're assuming that it could be.." Her friend raised her eyebrow.  
  
"My friend, you'll see.." Noriko winked at her.  
  
**************************************************************************** ********************* AUTHOR NOTES: To get a better understanding of Rukawa's condition, I did a little research for all to know.  
  
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder, possibly resulting from a biochemical defect that affects the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. It generally first appears in an individual's teens but can occur at any age. It is rare, however, for narcolepsy to first appear in someone who is past forty.  
  
Narcolepsy afflicts both sexes equally and tends to run through families. Suffers tend to get poor grades in school and to have numerous study problems due to their inability to read, study, concentrate, memorize, or pay attention.  
  
Later in life, this places limitations on their career alternatives, resulting in a low level of job satisfaction, frequent job loss, a loss of income, and low self-esteem.  
  
Narcoleptics tend to have poor interpersonal relationships, become alcoholics, have high divorce rates, suffer from a decreased sexual libido and impotence, and experience a great deal of depression and other psychiatric problems.  
  
One person in every 1,000 is affected, and sufferers complain of excessive daytime sleepiness, often expressed as tiredness, lack of energy, or irresistible sleepiness. They may suddenly drop off to sleep at any time.  
  
Most commonly, attacks occur while the individual is watching TV, reading, listening to a lecture, or engaging in an activity that does not have their full attention.  
  
Attacks can also occur while walking, bike riding, eating, talking, or driving. 


	6. The Girl

"Ne?" Noriko peered at Hanasen.  
  
"Eh, nani ka?" (what is it?) Hanasen looked at her surprised.  
  
Noriko looked at her friend and smirked. She sure was up to something alright.  
  
"If I remember right, didn't you just tell me on the phone yesterday that you had something important to tell me?"  
  
"Eh...anou...ettooo..." Hanasen stuttered for a reply.  
  
"Oi! Oi! What is it then?" Noriko poked her friend's shoulder.  
  
"Anou..betsuni..." (nothing) she chuckled.  
  
"Usso!" (Liar)  
  
"Usso janai!" (it's the truth!) Hanasen retorted.  
  
"Then why have you been acting strange the whole day?" Noriko demanded.  
  
"Was I really?"  
  
Noriko rolled her eyes and pushed her friend a bit to the side in frustration.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder if you're so dense or worse. Your defenses are terrible." Noriko scolded.  
  
"Well, I don't know...I mean, what you would think of it...I don't know if you would..."  
  
"You talk funny...let's walk faster." Noriko pulled her friend.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To give you my fullest attention."  
  
They walked to the school's empty soccer field and sat by a bench under a tree.  
  
"Okay, spill it!"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Will you stop fidgeting! I'm giving you my fullest attention. We're not getting out of here until you tell me what it is."  
  
"You promise you won't laugh." Hanasen pointed at her.  
  
"I promise." Noriko nodded.  
  
"Even if your entire L'arc en Ciel collection would burn up in flames?"  
  
"I don't like the sound of this.." Noriko frowned.  
  
"You promise!" Hanasen squeezed Noriko by the shoulders.  
  
"Okay! I swear! I promise! Oww" But Noriko cringed. It wasn't the way Hanasen squeezed her shoulders so tightly rather at the thought of having her entire L'arc collection burst in flames.  
  
"Okay. Now here goes..." Hanasen released her. She inhaled deeply.  
  
Noriko sat and massaged her shoulder while looking at her.  
  
"Yesterday morning, I was doing my usual errand and I got a bit distracted with something that I went around walking around the neighborhood further than I intended. Then I remembered I ought to buy a newspaper."  
  
"And you read something strange in the newspaper?" Noriko asked.  
  
"No. That's not it! The guy at the newsstand.."  
  
"The guy at the newsstand looked strange?"  
  
"Will you stop interrupting? I'm building a mood here!" Hanasen stomped her foot.  
  
"Okay! Okay!" Noriko waved her hand.  
  
"He recognized me as a student of Shohoku and said he had a nephew who also studied there."  
  
"Yeah...and that kid of his is strange?" Noriko raised an eyebrow.  
  
"NORIKO!!!!! THAT'S NOT IT!!!!!" Hanasen looked at her incredulously.  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"He's Noma's uncle."  
  
"Who's Noma?"  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DON'T KNOW HIM!" Hanasen was in shock.  
  
"Is he a basketball player? Is he an A-student? Does he know Rukawa? More importantly, is he cute?" Noriko was excited and tugged on Hanasen's arm.  
  
"He's not." Hanasen hung her head. Of course, she didn't know him. He's one of Sakuragi's closest buddies.  
  
"Not cute?" Noriko gawked at her.  
  
"None of the above. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Hanasen covered her face in frustration. The impulse to throttle her interrupting friend was growing by the second.  
  
"But yes, he knows Rukawa." Hanasen rolled her eyes. She knew she was going to regret saying that in a few moments.  
  
She wasn't wrong. Noriko squealed instantly.  
  
"WAAAAAAAIIIII!!!!!!" Noriko gave her a tight squeeze and kissed her on the cheek repeatedly.  
  
Hanasen pouted. This was definitely going to take some time before Noriko let go of her. Oh why did she have to say that? Why the heck she even brought it up? She didn't even bother to ask if Noma even liked Rukawa? But looking at Noriko going bonkers. She swallowed. She would be devastated. Easy.  
  
"I can't believe how lucky you are! It's Rukawa! He knows Rukawa! RUKAWA- KUN!!!! BABY!! BABY!!!" Noriko shook and hugged her again. Hanasen cringed when she said 'Baby'. Oh God.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, Noriko released her. But she was still blushing furiously. She still clutched her arm and leaned on her shoulder. She doesn't recover easily if it had anything to do with Rukawa. Her eyes transfixed to the sky. Star-struck. Bubbly-eyed. Hanasen just wished Noriko didn't drool on her sleeve.  
  
"So can we go back to ME now?" Hanasen peered at her.  
  
Noriko beamed. Adjusted herself on her seat. Her face so close to Hanasen.  
  
"Oh yes, please! Oh, God! He knows Rukawa." She giggled excitedly.  
  
Hanasen pushed her away gently and stood up.  
  
"You're not listening."  
  
"I AM!!!"  
  
"No you're not! You still have that ridiculous smile on your face." She pointed.  
  
"No. okay." Noriko wiped her mouth in an attempt to erase it. Of course, that's ridiculous but she did it anyway. She even fixed her hair slightly and assumed another seated position. She is looking serious. Attentive.  
  
"I'm all ears." Noriko bit her lip.  
  
Hanasen sat beside her again.  
  
"No wait!" Noriko cut in just before Hanasen was about to start.  
  
"What?" Hanasen frowned.  
  
"Anou...what does Noma have to do with what happened yesterday?"  
  
"It's not Noma. It's his uncle. We had a chat. That is all." Hanasen felt her heart beat wildly. She couldn't admit they had a chat about Sakuragi that day. Not yet. Don't spoil it.  
  
"Did he mention Rukawa?"  
  
"No." Oh man, not again!  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Why should he?"  
  
"But you said Noma knows him."  
  
"Did I say they were friends? I just said he knows him."  
  
"So they're not?"  
  
"OF COURSE NOT!"  
  
"But..."  
  
"Noriko?"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"I thought you're gonna listen to me."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Can I start now?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
*********  
  
AUTHOR NOTES:  
  
I'm back from a SLUMP DUNK. I'm writing this with the SD OP theme blaring in my ears now. Hehehe...inspiration...inspiration..on to the next chappie!!!! Gomen ne, to all dear readers who have waited for the update on this fic. 


	7. I'm Gonna Tell

Silence pervaded the two friends. The heat of the day has somewhat dimmed. It was almost afternoon. There were some students walking and hanging around the school grounds.  
  
Hanasen looked at her friend who was fumbling with something in her bag.  
  
"Noriko-chan?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"There's something I really must tell you..but I don't know where to start exactly..that's the truth." She looked down.  
  
Noriko sat closer to her.  
  
"Hey! It's me you're talking to. It can't be that big a deal."  
  
"But it is a big deal." Hanasen sounded worried.  
  
"So if it's such a big deal then you just might as well say it! C'mon!"  
  
Hanasen looked down. She felt her hands beginning to shake. She clasped them together.  
  
"I did something unthinkable. And I just thought I'd do something about it. But what could I do? The opportunity was right before my very eyes..and..and..I..j-j-just had to do it...I mean...I mean...if I didn't then I would regret it for the rest of my whole life...and..and...I don't want to regret it...I mean, what if I grow old and then I'd be like I wish...I did..if only..had I only..l-l-like..like...like..and.and.and." Hanasen was stuttering madly.  
  
"Ok-k-k-k-kayy!!!! Relax. You're stuttering! You're going l-l-l-like and- and-and..and I don't know what in the world are you trying to tell me. What is it so unthinkable that you have done?" Noriko held her hand.  
  
"Promise me something?"  
  
"Okay. Just don't make me swear about getting my L'arc collection burst in flames again, ne?" Noriko winced.  
  
"I'm serious. You must promise me you won't tell anyone!"  
  
"Oh God." Noriko put a hand to her mouth.  
  
"You promise!" Hanasen frowned.  
  
"Does your sister know about this?" Noriko looked closely at her.  
  
"NO!!!" Hanasen nearly screamed.  
  
"ALRIGHT!!! What's going on?" Noriko folded her arms to her chest. It felt unusual that Hanasen would keep something from her sister. This had to be something really serious.  
  
"Something happened yesterday."  
  
"Wakatta. (I know) You called me. But you sounded so happy then and now you sound like a wreck."  
  
"I was at the park. Okay..it was a play lot...you know, that small place that has this basketball hoop thingie..near the Shinodas?"  
  
"Yeah, I know that place. My little cousins often play there. So what happened?"  
  
"I was jogging."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"And I stopped."  
  
"And then what?"  
  
Hanasen squeezed her eyes shut and covered her face.  
  
"Hanasen!!! What happened? You're freaking me out with the suspense!"  
  
"I saw..uh..ah...uhn.." Hanasen was stuttering again.  
  
"A what? Was it a snake?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Oh my gosh! You saw someone making out there?" Noriko covered her mouth.  
  
"HELL NO!!!!!" Now it was Hanasen's turn to freak out. Where the hell did Noriko get that idea? She stood up suddenly.  
  
"Oi! What the hell did you see?"  
  
"I saw someone."  
  
"Do you know who this someone is?"  
  
Hanasen nodded.  
  
"Do I know that person too by any chance?"  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"So what's the problem?"  
  
"I met the man that would change my life forever."  
  
"Eh? A MAN??? Hontou desu ka?"  
  
"hai. I saw him." Her voice small.  
  
Noriko gave her a curious look and narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Him? Wait..anou..let me analyze this first. You know him. I know him too. Basketball hoop...change life forever...uh-huh...okay..continue." Noriko shook her head in confusion.  
  
"Did he say something?"  
  
"He didn't say anything."  
  
"Was he bothered that you were there?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Did he annoy you?"  
  
"No not at all!" She defended.  
  
"Did he look at you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"He didn't do anything! I mean, he was right there! What was I supposed to do? It was 10:00 in the morning. The sun was beating down on him. His arms spread apart."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"His legs spread apart."  
  
"His LEGS SPREAD APART?"  
  
"NORIKO-CHAN!!! You make it sound....creepy."  
  
"I'm just repeating what you said. Hey! You started it." Noriko poked her shoulder.  
  
"I'm giving you a vivid description."  
  
"How does this guy look like?"  
  
"He was..ah..tall."  
  
"Like how tall?"  
  
"Really tall...anou...basketball player tall."  
  
"Okay, go on. So this guy was playing basketball, I presume."  
  
"No. He was sleeping."  
  
"Sleeping?"  
  
"Hai." She bit her lip.  
  
This time.  
  
Noriko's jaw dropped. She turned deathly pale. 


	8. Its Not What You Think

"Oh God, no!"  
  
Hanasen looked at her distraught friend. Noriko covered her mouth and shook her head and stepped back.  
  
She tried to reach her friend but Noriko was quick to slap her hand away from her. This scared her even more. Noriko sobbed loudly.  
  
What was she thinking?  
  
She couldn't be...  
  
She looked at Noriko who looked back at her. Her eyes were welling up with tears.  
  
"Noriko-chan.." She couldn't think of a single thing to say. What has she done?  
  
A long silence ensued between them. Neither had anything else to say. The whole situation became so awkward between the two friends.  
  
It was Hanasen's turn to burst into tears. Noriko stood up and approached her.  
  
"Gomen ne..." (Sorry)  
  
Hanasen looked up. She was so surprised at her words.  
  
Noriko bit her lip. The whole situation seemed to get out of hand. They were both in tears now.  
  
"It's just that...how could you? I thought I knew you. I never thought you could do something like that." Noriko explained bitterly.  
  
Hanasen covered her face. The embarrassment was too much to bear.  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
"Sorry? That's all you could say to me? How could you do that? How could you?" Noriko stomped her foot.  
  
"That wasn't supposed to happen..but what was there for me to do?" Hanasen shook her head and tried to explain.  
  
"You could have given a lot of thought before doing such a thing! That was totally uncalled for! What the hell were you thinking?" Noriko yelled.  
  
"I wasn't thinking, I guess." Hanasen said in a small voice.  
  
Noriko inhaled deeply. She pulled Hanasen from where she sat and shook her.  
  
"YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING! HOW COULD YOU TELL ME YOU WERE NOT? ANSWER ME!"  
  
"Noriko.."  
  
Noriko released her. It was futile. Reality stared right before her. The sight of her friend in tears was too much. She didn't mean to be rough but how could she not know? It wasn't a secret anymore.  
  
"I'm so sorry. But I don't want something like this to get in the way of everything. It's just that I am so surprised. I thought I knew you."  
  
"This is so embarrassing."  
  
"It's a hell lot more than that, you know."  
  
"I'm the worst."  
  
"You're so low."  
  
"I should be burned."  
  
"You should be erased."  
  
"You hate me."  
  
"I do."  
  
"I can't blame you."  
  
Noriko looked at her again. Hanasen looked even terrible. She was sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"But you're my best friend. Oh, Hana! This is so freaking hard! I still care."  
  
Hanasen sobbed even louder.  
  
"Oi! Oi! Please stop now. We're still friends even if..even if..oh Hana, how could you do something like that when you always knew I liked him?" Noriko hugged her.  
  
Hanasen stopped suddenly and frowned.  
  
"You like him?" She asked confused.  
  
"Yes. Rukawa. Who else?" Noriko stared at her incredulously.  
  
"Wait a second, so you think I kissed Rukawa?" Hanasen frowned.  
  
"You said it yourself. Basketball. Tall guy. Asleep. Most unlikely place to sleep, who else would that possibly be?"  
  
"But I didn't say it was Rukawa." Her voice was getting louder by the second.  
  
"You mean..?" Noriko's eyes bulged.  
  
"I mean it wasn't Rukawa!" Hanasen looked at her aghast.  
  
Noriko flung herself towards Hanasen and gave a tight hug. She was screaming and crying at the same time.  
  
"I thought...I thought.." Her voice trailed off.  
  
"You thought wrong." Hanasen covered her face in frustration.  
  
"But how do I know for sure?"  
  
"You didn't let me finish." Hanasen smiled.  
  
"But you were crying too." Noriko pouted.  
  
"Because it's embarrassing because I thought you were thinking I was a.ahm..a pervert." Hanasen replied in a small voice.  
  
Noriko released her and smirked. "But of course you are."  
  
"Oh God, I knew it!" Hanasen was almost in tears again.  
  
"Oi! Daijobu! That's okay, I mean if that was me.." Noriko snickered.  
  
Hanasen hiccupped and looked at Noriko who was grinning at her now.  
  
"You know perfectly that I would never approach Rukawa even I was armed with a ten-foot pole and pepper spray and an electric shock gadget. Whatever possessed you think that I would even kiss him?" She stated matter-of-factly with a tinge of dread.  
  
Noriko winced at that statement. No matter how much she tried she could never convince Hanasen to even like Rukawa the very least.  
  
"Well, if you only get to know him a little bit better. You will find him to be a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really REALLY nice guy." She smiled brightly.  
  
Hanasen merely rolled her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"So if it's not Rukawa then who is this mystery guy?"  
  
"You won't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Girl, I've had enough excitement today that will last me the whole week. I'm sure whoever that guy is, I'm sure I can handle it. Now, tell me."  
  
Hanasen swallowed. 


	9. He's the One

"OH CRAP!!!!" The two girls chorused.  
  
The rain poured mercilessly. Students scampered to the nearest shelter. Some ran all the way back to the school building.  
  
"Crap! My uniform is all wet!" Noriko complained.  
  
"Me too!" Hanasen gasped.  
  
"Let's go to my place!" Noriko grabbed her hand and they ran all the way to her house.  
  
Noriko's house was located about three blocks to the school. They finally reached the gate. Noriko pulled out her key and they entered.  
  
Noriko rang the doorbell impatiently. Hanasen braced herself from the cold.  
  
Finally, the door opened.  
  
"ONE-CHAAAAAAAAAANNN, OKAERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" (big sister)  
  
"Kyaaaa!!! Don't hug me! I'm all wet. Go get my slippers and for Hana here. Hayaku!" (quickly)  
  
"HAI!!!" The little kid left immediately and returned with the slippers.  
  
"C'mon, Hana..let's go to my room so we could get these damn clothes off. I'm freezing my butt!"  
  
"Hai." Hana grabbed their things.  
  
"Do you like me to make some tea, ne-chan?" The little boy asked.  
  
"That would be nice. I'll be back in a while."  
  
IN THE ROOM  
  
Noriko pulled out her drawers and pulled out a pink shirt and baby blue shorts and handed them to Hana.  
  
"Arigato." She entered the bathroom. After she dressed, Noriko took her turn and changed into warm clothes.  
  
The rain continued to pour. It was getting stronger.  
  
"Better?" Noriko asked her while she combed her hair.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Let's go downstairs now." "Oi! Where's the tea?" Noriko was about to enter the kitchen when she saw her brother standing on the stool with a potholder in one hand. The kettle was boiling.  
  
"Alright, I got it!" She smiled. He went down the stool and handed the potholder to her. Hanasen took out the cups.  
  
She poured the tea into the cups and placed them on the tray and proceeded to the living room.  
  
They sat on the floor. Noriko's younger brother seated himself beside his sister. Hanasen began to sip some tea.  
  
"Where's kaa-san?" Noriko pulled her brother closer to her arms and kissed the top of his head.  
  
"She went to visit Auntie Maaya. She said she'd be staying there for like two days." He smiled.  
  
"Have you eaten already, Tet-chan?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Nani?" She raised his chin to face her.  
  
"I was waiting for you." He pouted.  
  
Noriko pulls her brother and carries him. He wraps his legs around her waist and hugs her neck tightly. Hanasen stands up and takes the tray as they proceed to the kitchen. She smiles at the tender scene between Noriko and her brother. They are so close. She has always been protective of him. Their mother was usually not home though.  
  
Noriko takes some three cups of ready-to-cook ramen and pour the hot water. Then they proceed to the dining area.  
  
"ITADAKIMASU!!!"  
  
"Guess what? I have a story!" The little boy beamed.  
  
"What is it?" Hana looked at him.  
  
"I was walking with my friends the other day and we stumbled upon this really, really tall guy at the play lot! He had red hair like fire!"  
  
Hanasen sputtered some of the ramen and began to cough.  
  
"Daijobu? Here have some water." Noriko handed her a glass of water.  
  
"Thanks." She gulped the water.  
  
"What happened?" Noriko pulled another helping of ramen with her chopsticks to her mouth.  
  
"He was asleep, right in the middle of the play lot. Hiro wanted to get out but Ken still wanted to play and so I ended up waking him up. Whew! I thought he was gonna get mad at us. But he was quite cool!"  
  
"Who's that guy?" Noriko began to drink the ramen soup.  
  
Hanasen stood up and excused herself.  
  
"He said his name is SAKURAGI HANAMICHI!!!" He squealed.  
  
With that they suddenly heard a cry from the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, what happened? Are you okay?" Noriko looked at her. Hanasen was kneeling on the floor picking up pieces of broken glass.  
  
"I'm so sorry. Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!" She cursed herself.  
  
"Daijobu, Hana-nechan?" Tetsu looked behind his sister.  
  
"Daijobu." She smiled nervously.  
  
"That's okay. Just be careful, you don't hurt yourself."  
  
Hanasen stood up and threw the broken glass pieces into the trash bin.  
  
"It's 6:00 p.m. Tet-chan, have you done your homework?"  
  
"Hai. Can I watch TV now, please?"  
  
"Okay. But you have to be in bed by 8, you hear?"  
  
Tetsu waved at her and turned on the TV. Anime Marathon. Noriko shook her head and smiled.  
  
"C'mon, Hana." The two girls went upstairs.  
  
As soon as the door clicked, Noriko bounced on the bed and grabbed a pillow to hug.  
  
"Okay.okay..now, I believe you happen to have something to tell me had we not been duly interrupted by the rain."  
  
Hanasen stared at the glass window as the rain continued to pour steadily.  
  
"Hana?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The story!"  
  
"That was it." Hanasen bit her lip.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That was him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Him!"  
  
"Him, who?"  
  
"The one Tet-chan.." Hanasen could not continue and looked away again.  
  
Noriko gawked at her and slowly raised a hand to cover her mouth.  
  
"You mean.." Noriko could not help it. Her eyes were round like saucers.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"What do you mean, WHY?" Hanasen frowned.  
  
"I mean, why him?"  
  
"And why not?" Hanasen raised her voice.  
  
"Since when?" Noriko was more confused.  
  
"Since our first year in Shohoku."  
  
"That long?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I expected you would react this way and besides you were too busy ogling over that fox-face."  
  
Noriko could not help but stare at her in wonder.  
  
"Will you cut that out!" Hana frowned.  
  
"What did I do?" Noriko looked at her puzzled but was about to break into a smile. "You're staring like there's something very wrong with me."  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"Yes, you do."  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"Yes too."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
The room was suddenly silent except for the pitter-patter of rain from the glass window.  
  
Noriko moved closer to her nervous friend and put an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"He has no idea how lucky he is."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"You really believe that?"  
  
"Of course. You're the sweetest loving friend I ever had. You're like a sibling to me next to Tet-chan." She hugged her.  
  
Only then Hanasen released the tears that threatened to flow.  
  
"I am so in love with him, Noriko-chan. Always been. I never could stop." She sniffled.  
  
"I'm just so surprised, that's all." They released.  
  
"But he doesn't know I even exist."  
  
"But you kissed him! Oh my God! Now, that is courage!"  
  
"I'm sure he would forget." Hanasen shrugged.  
  
"I don't think so..specially with guys..most especially for someone like him." Noriko raised an eyebrow.  
  
"But he was asleep!"  
  
"Did he do something?"  
  
"Anou..he murmured something like..sweet."  
  
"Aha!!! So that's why you were so spaced out in class today." She poked her shoulder.  
  
"Yeah." Hanasen blushed.  
  
"Wow." Noriko gazed at her. "How was it like..anou..I mean kissing him and stuff?"  
  
"I don't know how to describe it exactly but he has the softest lips ever!"  
  
"I wonder if I could do that to Rukawa without those blasted bitches from hell dogging him around all the time."  
  
"I don't think he'd even stir..I bet it's like kissing a corpse."  
  
"Hey! That was mean!" Noriko pulled a pillow and thwacked her on the head.  
  
"KYAAAA!!! PILLOW FIGHT!!!! YOU GOT IT!!!" 


	10. Dreaming : dedicated to yaoiyaoiyeah

"OI! HANAMICHI!!!!!"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Noma swatted the redhead lightly. Sakuragi had been staring wistfully at the window of the ramen house. He barely touched his food.  
  
"What's gotten into you?"  
  
"Betsuni." (Nothing) Sakuragi replied not even the least perturbed with his friend's puzzlement.  
  
"What the hell are you looking at?" Noma looked at the window glass and saw nothing except for a few cars that careened at the street. There was nothing amusing to watch.  
  
"Have you ever had a dream that felt so real?" Sakuragi's eyes were dazed but thoughtful.  
  
"Eh?!"  
  
"You know, the type that you wished it were real and you wished you never woke up. The type you really felt it? That you could actually touch it?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Noma nodded.  
  
"REALLY? REALLY?" Sakuragi looked at him closely.  
  
"Yeah, I had a dream once that I won at the pachinko and then I .."  
  
"Yarou!" Sakuragi bapped him on the head. "That's not what I meant!"  
  
"What kind of dream are you talking about then?"  
  
Sakuragi looked away. He scratched his head and gave a nervous chuckle.  
  
"Ahaahahahahaah!!!!! HANAMICHI HAD A WET DREAM!!!!" Noma announced and pointed at him. The other ramen customers suddenly looked at Sakuragi who turned bright red.  
  
Before he knew it, Noma found his head vised in between Sakuragi's powerful right arm with his left fist positioned to his face.  
  
"Say that again and I'm gonna have to rearrange this stupid face of yours."  
  
"But you blushed!" Noma croaked.  
  
"Because you're such an idiot. What the hell were you thinking?" Sakuragi replied grimly.  
  
"That's because you're in denial."  
  
Sakuragi dropped him and cursed under his breath and quickly dragged him out of the ramen house.  
  
Noma massaged his neck but could not stop chuckling at Sakuragi's reaction.  
  
"I know I'm right."  
  
"The hell you are!"  
  
"Hey, man. That's normal for guys our age." Noma tapped his shoulder.  
  
"I DID NOT HAVE A WET DREAM, YOU MORON!" Sakuragi yelled, thoroughly exasperated at Noma's conclusion.  
  
"It's okay, I understand."  
  
"BUT I DID NOT HAVE.."  
  
"Hai. Hai. Don't worry, I'll keep this conversation private if that's what you're so worried about." Noma nodded his head.  
  
"BUT."  
  
"Look, we're men. At this age, our hormones are in a riot. I read something about this in some book." Noma continued.  
  
"Noma..."  
  
"Yes?" Noma smiled.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to kill you." Sakuragi turned beet red.  
  
"Okay. I read that in the book too." 


	11. Camera Crazy

THE PLAN  
  
"Ready?"  
  
Hanasen looked up at Noriko.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Let's go!" Noriko grabbed her hand and they both ran out of the classroom.  
  
"We can't be late!" Noriko was excited. Today was a game between Shohoku High versus Hashibara High.  
  
The two friends ran all the way from the classroom to the gymnasium and took a seat near the rafters. The gym was packed. The game was about to start.  
  
"Oh my god! There he is!" Noriko stood up and pointed at the dark-haired fox face.  
  
"RUKAWA, AI SHITTERU YO!!!!" Noriko screamed and waved. But her voice was immediately drowned out by the Love-Love Rukawa Girls who began their ritual cheer and adulation.  
  
Hanasen smiled at Noriko's excitement. The whole gym thundered on all sides from everyone's screams, cheers, claps and hollers.  
  
The Shohoku Team members were introduced and each gave an exhibition and waved at the audience.  
  
"SAKURAGI HANAMICHI!"  
  
Hanasen felt her heart skip a beat. She froze. Noriko looked at her and nudged her shoulder and hugged her.  
  
"You're gonna be all right." Noriko smiled.  
  
"I'm so happy to watch him play." Hanasen whispered.  
  
"Let's enjoy this, shall we?" Noriko winked.  
  
Hanasen nodded enthusiastically.  
  
The game was a tremendous success. It was a critical fight with Shohoku winning by a very thin margin. Sakuragi began to strut around the court. The other team players jumped around and rejoiced.  
  
"YAY!!! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!!" The two friends hugged each other as they jumped in unison.  
  
"Let's congratulate them!" Hanasen pulled Noriko as they moved out of the packed gym.  
  
"Look what I got!" Noriko pulled the item from her blue rabbit back pack.  
  
"Waaiii!!! A CAMERA!!!" Hanasen squealed.  
  
"Okay, you hold this. Here's the plan, as soon as we spot them, I grab Rukawa and you take our picture."  
  
"Right!"  
  
"Then when we see Sakuragi."  
  
Hanasen quickly put her hand on Noriko's mouth.  
  
"What the.?" Noriko pulled away confused.  
  
"Not so loud. Never mind. I'll just take your picture with Rukawa, I promise."  
  
"No way!" Noriko argued.  
  
"It's okay. Really." Hanasen gulped.  
  
"This is the moment. You just can't let this go to waste."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Yes, you can just trust me, okay? It would be great."  
  
Hanasen nodded her head but she still wasn't sure if she agreed.  
  
The two girls ran at the exit only to find an excited and anticipating crowd at the same spot.  
  
"Oh crap! This is not good! We must have our picture!" Noriko yelled.  
  
"What do you think we should do?"  
  
Noriko looked at her and frowned, thinking deeply. Then quickly grabbed Hanasen's hand and they ran out to the hall.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Just trust me."  
  
"Okay. I hope you know what you're doing. But don't you think this is a little crazy since we can see them in school anyways?" Hanasen reasoned while they ran.  
  
"This is a totally different scenario."  
  
"Here we are." They stopped at the gym's parking space.  
  
"You're a genius, Noriko-chan."  
  
"No way, they're going home without their bikes. Well, the others would most likely walk or take the bus but they can't miss this place."  
  
And as expected, there they were. Mitsui grabbed his bike and waved. Noriko approached him.  
  
"Sumimasen, Mitsui-sempai! Can we take a picture of you?"  
  
"Hontou?" Mitsui smiled widely and obliged.  
  
The two girls switched places and each had a picture with the legendary three-pointer.  
  
The picture-taking went on until they had almost each and everyone's picture.  
  
"Anou..Ayako-sempai..where is Rukawa?" Noriko inquired meekly. The beautiful curly-haired assistant coach smiled and pointed at the gym. "I believe, he's still being harassed back there."  
  
"Arigato, Ayako-sempai." The two girls bowed. Ayako smiled back and helped Miyagi load his bag on his bike.  
  
"I just don't know what these girls see with that fox-face." Miyagi shook his head as he rode the bike with Ayako in tow.  
  
"I must admit, he's good looking, droopy-eyed and all." Ayako nodded.  
  
"Aya-chan." Miyagi pouted.  
  
"And a hell of a terrific ball player." Ayako added.  
  
"Aya-chan..demo." Miyagi's eyes almost turned tearful.  
  
"But I've got all what I need right here." She pulled his face for a kiss. She loved to tease him immensely. He looked so adorable.  
  
"Aya-chan." Miyagi smiled. 


	12. Strike a Pose

"DAMMIT! I CAN'T STAND THIS CROWD ANYMORE!" Noriko frowned at the crowd of girls and boys who were hounding Rukawa.  
  
Hanasen shrugged her shoulders and took a seat and watched her friend throwing a fit.  
  
"Why don't you squeeze yourself there again?"  
  
"I ALREADY DID THAT, BUT THAT STUPID BITCH JUMPED ON ME! IT'S HER AGAIN!"  
  
"Why don't you try again, maybe she got his picture already." Hanasen lazily suggested.  
  
Noriko stomped and squeezed herself in the crowd for the seventh time in a row. Hanasen shook her head and smiled at her friend's determination.  
  
Oh, I just hope I don't see him. I hope....  
  
"NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"  
  
Hanasen almost fell off her seat when she heard the unmistakable laughter.  
  
There he was....standing at the exit door and surveying the crowd but no one seemed to pay attention to him. The Sakuragi Gundan were beside him.  
  
"The real star of the court is HERE!" They yelled.  
  
No one even looked.  
  
Hanasen stood up and stared at him but she was not sure if he noticed for she was standing beside a tree.  
  
You look so beautiful.  
  
He was still laughing while he and his buddies were doing a victory dance. They were not really fazed with the crowd who were still harassing Rukawa.  
  
Just as she was about to make a step forward.....Noriko glomped her.  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAIIIII!!! I GOT A PICTURE!!!! I EVEN GOT ONE BESIDE HIM!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! URESHII!!!!"  
  
"Noriko..."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
She pointed.  
  
Noriko looked.  
  
"He's there! Let's go."  
  
"No!"  
  
"What do you mean, No? Come on!" Noriko pulled her.  
  
"But...."  
  
Before she knew it, she was being pulled by the arm by a determined Noriko.  
  
"SAKURAGI-SEMPAI!!!!!" Noriko called out.  
  
Sakuragi looked at Noriko.  
  
"My friend....I mean we would like to have a picture with you, okay?"  
  
"AHA!!! YOU'RE A FAN!!!" Noma declared.  
  
"Yah." Noriko nodded and nudged Hanasen who could not look straight at him.  
  
"SURE!!!"  
  
"Yosh! Okay, girl, you stand right there beside him now."  
  
"But...." Hanasen was blushing badly.  
  
Just as they were about to pose together.....  
  
"SAKURAGI-KUN?"  
  
"WAAHH!!!" Sakuragi immediately turned around to greet Akagi's sister, Haruko.  
  
"Onii-chan, said we're all going to have a victory party at our house tomorrow night. Be there!" She winked.  
  
"I WOULD BE SO HONORED, HARUKO-CHAN, NYAHAHAHAHAAH!!!" He scratched his head and blushed.  
  
"And you guys better be there too." She smiled at the Sakuragi Gundan.  
  
The casual invitation had become more enthusiastic and engaging that they totally forgot about Hanasen and Noriko.  
  
"Ne, Hana-chan....?"  
  
"It's okay. I told you I didn't want to."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"You got a picture with Rukawa-san, I think that's okay."  
  
"That's not it." Noriko looked away.  
  
"Gomen ne...."  
  
"Don't be."  
  
But just as they were walking further away, they heard someone call from behind.  
  
"ANOU......MATTE KURE YO!!!"  
  
The two girls turned around.  
  
"Sumimasen....." Sakuragi bowed.  
  
Noriko shot up a mild glare at him. Hanasen was wide-eyed. He had to follow us?  
  
"Anou....about the picture....I'm so sorry, very sorry I was preoccupied....I did not forget."  
  
"It's okay." Noriko shrugged.  
  
"I think both of you should sit together instead."  
  
"I'm so sorry but we think you're busy....we don't mean to bother." Hanasen looked down.  
  
"Daijobu....I should be the one apologizing not you." Sakuragi smiled and scratched his head.  
  
They looked at the camera. 


	13. Picture Perfect!

"Aw, man! YOUR EYES WERE CLOSED! I don't believe this!" Noriko complained as they began to scan the pictures at the photo shop.  
  
"He looks so happy." Hanasen stared at Sakuragi longer.  
  
"Of course, our team won!" Noriko smiled. "But, damn.your eyes were closed in the picture."  
  
"It's okay, as long as he is smiling here. Can I keep this?"  
  
"Sure!". Noriko shrugged.  
  
Hanasen slipped it into her notebook.  
  
"Hey, we got a really cool shot with Mitsui-sempai. He's such a cool guy!"  
  
"Cooler than Rukawa?" Hanasen nudged her.  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Noriko grinned.  
  
"Oh, look we got a real cute picture of them together. Now that's love!" Noriko exclaimed.  
  
"Sure is. Ayako-sempai and Miyagi-sempai are meant to be together." Hanasen agreed.  
  
"Don't worry, you'll have this too with Saku.err..Hana..wow! your names are almost the same. You're Hanasen and he's Hanamichi..yay!!"  
  
"Oh, don't say that." Hanasen blushed again.  
  
"Ooohh, look at Akagi-sempai.hehehe..Gori! Gori! Gori!!!"  
  
"Waaaiii!!! Kogure-sempai! KAWAII!!! He's such a sweetheart, don't you think?" They squealed and nodded in agreement.  
  
"AW, MAN!!! LOOK WHAT THIS BITCH DID! I LOOK LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT BESIDE RUKAWA-KUN!!! I HATE HER!!!!" Noriko was spitting blue fire again. All the pictures she took with Rukawa had the chinky-eyed leader of the Love- Love Rukawa Cheering Squad with her face near him.  
  
Hanasen merely snickered at her friend's temper.  
  
"I'm going to have this picture edited. Shameless bitch! This isn't even her film! It's mine!"  
  
"Ah! Calm down, will you?" Hanasen patted her friend as they got out of the shop.  
  
"No. Wait." Noriko held her hand and pulled her back.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
"I can cut up her face in this picture and have it cursed!" Noriko made a fist.  
  
"You're serious? Put a curse on her?" Hanasen frowned.  
  
"I AM! I'm gonna make her hair fall out or icky gigantic pimples grow on her stupid face. Then she's going to be so embarrassed that she can't approach Rukawa-kun. And she would be kicked out of that idiotic group of theirs and hell! She would be so embarrassed, she won't be able to come to school anymore. No more rivals! Haha!"  
  
"You got it all figured out, huh?" Hanasen raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hai!" Noriko nodded as they walked home. 


	14. VALENTINE'S DAY!

6:00 a.m.  
  
"Ohayo! You're REALLY early today, ne?" The school guard waved at her as Hanasen dashed inside the newly opened gates of the school.  
  
"Ah hai! Ohayo gozaimasu!" She bowed momentarily and fled.  
  
There were no students around yet....the school was eerily quiet. She pulled her bag closer to her body and entered the hallways where a long line of lockers were located. She began to count the rows which were classified according to sections and classes.  
  
The fifth row.  
  
She swallowed. This is it. She inhaled deeply. She has been studying this exact location of the said locker for a million times. She can't miss.  
  
"Gamabatte!" She whispered to herself.  
  
One little problem though.. She scratched her head. The locker was waaayy too high for her to reach. She entered one of the rooms and began to drag a chair.  
  
She looked around. There was no one.  
  
As she climbed the chair, she was no face to face with the locker door. She opened it.  
  
Hanamichi Sakuragi written in black pentel pen ink with a small evil chibi on the side. There was also a written "RUKAWA MUST DIE!" and "SHOHOKU RULES!" and "TENSAI BASKETBORU MAN". It was a mini graffiti of sorts. She chuckled while reading them.  
  
The contents of the locker was pretty plain except for a white towel, wrist band, a small binder notebook, a math textbook and the next item made her smile so hard, she felt herself blush from her cheeks to the roots of her hair.  
  
It was her handkerchief. It wasn't washed. She smelt it and the scent still remained from that fateful day. Still there, she smiled again. He kept it.  
  
"Okay...now here goes...."  
  
She opened her bag then carefully placed a red checkered gift wrapped mini- basket on top of the binder notebook. The little package contained 10 pieces of assorted chocolate-filled kisses. She wanted to put more but she wanted it to be meaningful.  
  
Red being the color of his hair.  
  
Ten being the number on his jersey gear.  
  
Kisses because of "The Kiss".  
  
And assorted because he loved variety.  
  
The reason?  
  
It was Valentine's day.  
  
She was about to close the locker when she the sudden urge to touch his things became too strong. She touched his towel and just enough to feel the texture of it under her palms. She ran her hand onto the cover his notebook and lifted the wristband and then placed it back.  
  
She smiled at her accomplishment and finally closed the locker.  
  
She went down the chair and just when she was about to drag the thing back to the class room....  
  
She heard a voice from behind her....  
  
"JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Author notes: hehehe.....it's a cliffie....who do you think this is? I want to thank my dear precious readers for following this fic. Your reviews are like Energizer to me....it keeps me going....going....going.....going.....I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU! 


	15. Evil Chocolates

Hanasen was frozen.  
  
She felt her head vibrating and her heart pounding like a bongo drum. It began to hurt.  
  
She gulped when she heard footsteps walking fast towards her.  
  
"**MOVE!**" Her mind yelled.  
  
She dropped the chair and sprinted to the end of the hallway and down to the stairs. She ran as fast as she could not looking back lest she would be recognized.  
  
**"OI!!! MATTE!!!! MATTE!!!! STOP!!!! STOP!!!!"  
**  
Hanasen kept running and running. She was approaching the back of the school gym building when she heard,  
  
**"OI! HANASEN!! MATTE!!!!"  
**  
She stopped. Oh god! This is even worse...I've been identified!" She continued to run behind the building and jumped behind a very large trash bin and crouched herself.  
  
She sat behind the bin and silently prayed, "I'm not here. I'm not here. I'm not here."  
  
**"AHA!!!! THERE YOU ARE!!!!"  
**  
**"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"  
**  
**"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"  
**  
They both screamed.  
  
**"NORIKO?!!!"** Hanasen pointed.  
  
**"HANASEN???!!!"** Noriko pointed.  
  
Hanasen stood up from the ground and proceeded to shake her friend.  
  
**"WHY YOU LITTLE.....YOU SCARED ME TO DEATH!!! DO YOU REALIZE YOU GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK HERE??? DO YOU???"**  
  
**"DO YOU ALSO REALIZE HOW DIZZY I AM RIGHT NOW? YOU MADE ME RUN AFTER YOU LIKE CRAZY!!!!" **Noriko looked at her shocked.  
  
**"YOU COULD HAVE SAID YOUR NAME!!!" **Hanasen pointed at her.  
  
**"WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SAY THAT AT SUCH A SITUATION?"** Noriko gawked at her unbelievingly.

**'WELL YOU COULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING ELSE!!!" **Hanasen made a fist.  
  
**"I SAID YOUR NAME, DUMMY AND YOU STILL KEPT RUNNING LIKE A CHEETAH, YOU TWIT!!!!" **Noriko looked at her accusingly.  
  
**"TWIT AND A HALF!" **Hanasen answered back.  
  
**"TWIT AND THREE QUARTERS!!!"** Noriko stuck out her tongue.  
  
Both girls were huffing and panting and gasping after all the yelling and running activities they just did.  
  
"Oh....kay.....so what the hell were you doing back there this early?" Noriko frowned.  
  
"I ah.....was......" Hanasen began to fidget for an explanation. Then she shot a glance at Noriko who was taken aback.  
  
**"NANI?"**  
  
"And may I ask what are **YOU** doing here also at this time? If I may recall, you're never early for school much less **THIS EARLY TOO!"  
**  
"Anou.....I was ah......I had to.....ahm......**OKAY!!! YOU GOT ME!!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS?"  
**  
"Yeah?" Hanasen raised a brow.  
  
**"THAT'S YOUR EXPLANATION!"** Noriko nodded and crossed her arms to her chest.  
  
"Ahm.....okay...." Hanasen bowed her head in agreement and.....surrender.  
  
"Okay....your turn." Noriko raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Wha.....??!!" Hanasen jerked her head back.  
  
"So what brings you so early today?" Noriko grinned.  
  
"Same reason." She gulped and replied in a small voice almost a whisper and resumed to bow her head in defeat.  
  
Noriko pulled her hand and moved towards a bench and they sat down.  
  
"So....what did you put there?"  
  
"You mean.....?" Hanasen looked at her incredulously.  
  
"What do you mean....**YOU MEAN?"  
**  
"Well.....it's a....ahm.....**A SECRET!!!"  
**  
"A secret?" Noriko gawked.  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nah-uh."  
  
"Yes-ah."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Yadda!"  
  
Noriko pinched her. **"YOU MEANIE!!!! TELL ME!!** It's the least thing you could do after making me chase after you like that!"  
  
"Well....it's also the least you could do for scaring me to death like that!"  
  
"Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!" Noriko was actually tugging her arm repeatedly.  
  
"Alright.....alright....I'll tell you. Geez!"  
  
"Well.....?"  
  
"Only after you tell me what you put in Rukawa's locker too." Hanasen grinned evilly.  
  
Noriko pouted. "It was chocolate."  
  
"And....go on." Hanasen nodded.  
  
"It was a large chocolate egg wrapped in gold wrapping paper encased in a see-through plastic case with his name and my name on it."  
  
"Wow!" Hanasen was amazed.  
  
"Now your turn..."  
  
"Well...okay....but don't laugh okay? It's corny. **BUT I MEANT EVERYTHING TO BE SPECIAL, OKAY? SO NO LAUGHING!" **Hanasen pouted and pointed.  
  
"Fine...I promise!" Noriko smiled.  
  
And so Hanasen gave the description of her gift as well as their corresponding significance.  
  
**"AW!!! THAT IS SOOOOOOOOO SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTT!!!"** Noriko glomped her.  
  
"Do you think it would be a dead give-away?"  
  
"No! Of course not! Well....unless he'd put two and two together....maybe.....but **THAT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTT!!!!"**  
  
"Now, you're making me nervous..." Hanasen frowned.  
  
"Oh stop it! You can just imagine the look on his face when he sees your adorable gift. Priceless! An absolute _KODAK_ moment!!" Noriko gestured dramatically.  
  
"Yeah...." Hanasen mused and her eyes began to turn glassy. Yeah, if I could only see his reaction.  
  
Noriko looked at her watch.  
  
"Okay...it's beginning to get noisy around here. We better head back to the classroom."  
  
"Hai!"  
  
As they headed back the school building Hanasen nudged Noriko's shoulder.  
  
"Oi! Nani?"  
  
"What guarantee do you have that Rukawa will even notice your present considering the number of rivals you got over him?"  
  
"Well...." Noriko winked. "As you have diligently studied the exact location of Sakuragi's locker...I did some research myself."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"The timing of his arrival. I came just early enough to put my gift in his locker so he has no choice but to see mine. The locker was REALLY CROWDED when I opened it. Looks like the girls have placed theirs since yesterday after school."  
  
"Okay...I got that part but HOW EXACTLY SURE are you he will even notice yours first?" Hanasen insisted.  
  
Noriko inhaled and looking proud all of a sudden.  
  
**"THAT!** My dear Hana-chan is what an extra bag is all about!"  
  
"You don't mean....." Hanasen looked at her shocked and covered her mouth.  
  
"Oh yes!" Noriko winked.  
  
"But where?"  
  
"In Tanaka-sensei's locker, of course." She winked.  
  
"But...."  
  
"Daijobu....I know those rabid girls will be checking out other girls' lockers too and so I hid my extra bag at Tanaka-sensei's since that old fart NEVER checks his locker since he ALWAYS bring everything in that leather bag of his. And NO ONE will check a teacher's locker."  
  
"But he has a key!"  
  
"Nope...it's broken."  
  
"You're shameless! But I must admit you're a freaking genius!" Hanasen shook her head in amazement.  
  
"You're so right, my friend."  
  
"**Gyahahahahahahahah!** All those delicious goodies in my possession!!! **MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!" **Noriko cackled evilly which made several students wince and scamper.  
  
"Shaddap, will you?" Hanasen poked her in the back.  
  
"Whoooo-hooo!!!" Noriko gave her a look like she was drunk or something.  
  
"Aren't you even the least bit afraid some of them contain an aphrodisiac?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, first....those things are **SPECIFICALLY** made for **HIM**...not a HER. It won't work on girls for fear they'd backfire. I've seen that happen last year, so don't worry. Later tonight, we're gonna have a little chocolate party, heheheheh...." Noriko grinned and rubbed her palms together.  
  
"You're the CRAZIEST friend I ever have, Noriko-chan." Hanasen shook her head as they walked back to the classroom.


	16. Sakuragi gets his chocolates

CHAPTER 16

"Hey what did you get?" Yohei poked Noma on the shoulder as the Sakuragi Gundan sat together at the school back lot.

"I got a small pack of peanut-filled chocolates." Noma sighed.

"That again?" Takamiya adjusted his glasses as he inspected the small bag.

Noma sighed deeply. This was not going well at all. Every year in his school life he had hoped that someone was going to give him something more than this and different and more meaningful. But so far it has never failed and most of the time it had always been peanut-filled chocolates bearing the same brand in a small pack even. He felt really pathetic since the only person who bothered to give him his annual gift had been his cousin who happened to be enrolled in the same school as he was. It was easy to tell even because his cousin's dad works in the same factory where the blasted things were manufactured. His cousin only gave him that since they had an overstock of the items at home. No big deal. Worse, his cousin doesn't even like him. Her mother made sure he got it every year...it felt like a curse.

"How about you what did you get this time, huh?" Noma raised an eyebrow as he snatched the bag of chocolates from Takamiya.

"A box of Chocolate Pocky." Takamiya opened the box and began to shove three sticks in his mouth.

"No way someone gave you that. You bought that for yourself, man!" Yohei laughed.

"OH YEAH? YOU THINK I'M SUCH A LOSER THAT NO ONE WOULD BOTHER GIVING ME CHOCOLATE! IF YOU MUST KNOW, I HAPPEN TO HAVE A SECRET ADMIRER IN THIS DAMN SCHOOL!" Takamiya yelled but coughed immediately after.

"Which is going to be a secret forever!" Yohei laughed even more.

"Well if you're so great, then what the hell did YOU get?" Takamiya huffed.

"I got a box of M&M chocolate candies." Yohei proudly showed the box to Takamiya and Noma who both sweatdropped. Takamiya resumed shoving more Pocky sticks into his mouth and gave up arguing with Yohei. Noma sighed again and shoved his bag of chocolate peanuts into his backpack. Man, they suck. Valentine's day sucks. Yohei was grinning as he opened the M&Ms and started sorting the candies according to color. Noma watched his friend sort the candies before popping each color in his mouth. This is no gift. There was no effort given there. It's like swiping a bag of candies from the convenience store. Heck, he could do that. It's too easy and lame at the same time.

"By the way, where the hell is Hanamichi? He should have been here 20 minutes ago. This is boring!" Takamiya announced as he threw the empty box of Pocky to the nearby trash bin.

"No need to wonder, here he comes. Is that bastard smiling or what?" Yohei frowned.

"Yeah...he is smiling! Heck! He looks really happy. This is not good." Noma shook his head.

The towering readhead was indeed smiling. He felt like flying. What better surprise in the world after basketball practice is to find a red checkered gift wrapped mini- basket on top of his binder notebook. The little package contained 10 pieces of assorted chocolate-filled kisses. He thought he was going to have a heart attack. He totally did not expect someone would put up a lot of effort in this and even knew his favorite color. Ten chocolate kisses even! Ten being his jersey number. This was great! Life is great! Life is beautiful. There is hope for him yet. He cannot give up. Someone must have it really bad for him. He just knew it. He will find out soon and when he does....GET READY! TENSAI BASKETBORU MAN WILL MAKE YOU THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD! WOOHOOO!!!

He yelled happily but his happiness was short-lived as he spotted three heads sprouting from the bench eyeing him intently. Oh shit. They are not going to let him go until they find out why he's so happy. No way was he going to share the chocolates either. No way. No way. No way. This is mine and mine alone. I am going to enjoy it alone. Argh! He felt a vein pop on his head already.

"Yo!" Sakuragi grinned at his suspicious-looking friends as he took a seat with them on the bench.

"So what did you get, Hanamichi?" Takamiya's eye twitched beneath his glasses.

"Oh...nothing special as usual." Sakuragi whistled.

"You got something....and it's different from last year, did you?" Noma peered closer to his face.

"Ahahahaha! I said it's nothing special. Come on, guys...you think I would expect anything more after going through several Valentine's Days with a bag of chocolate crackers here or a tiny jar of chocolate spread there." Sakuragi chuckled.

"Then why are you so happy?" Noma frowned.

"What's wrong with being happy? Haruko-chan greeted me Happy Valentine's Day personally after basketball practice. Now if that does not make my day, I don't know what else would!" Sakuragi smiled. Well okay it was true, Haruko-chan did greet him which was mighty sweet of her. He looked at his companions who nodded in agreement. They seemed convinced enough. That should keep them busy, he thought. Besides they always knew how he felt for the girl and they knew whatever little sweetness she afforded to throw at him that he was grateful enough. Still...that was enough to keep them off his back from prying anything more of the TRUE REASON for his happiness this day.

"Alright, let's go home now." Yohei shrugged. They rode on their bikes and headed for home.

In the meantime, somewhere in the boy's locker room, a sleepy-eyed fox-faced basketball player is trying to figure out who in the world was Noriko that is etched with his name on the the chocolate egg.


	17. The Unexpected PairUp

**AUTHOR NOTES: I am so sorry it took so long for me to update. Such is life. But to make up for all that, I am uploading more chapters. One of my readers pointed out the age gap and time line of some of the chapters, specifically the age of Rukawa, Sakuragi, Hanasen and Noriko. To correct this once and for all and for the sake of peace of mind and continuity, they all have the same age. They're all in their second year in high school. Also Rukawa is Noriko and Hanasen's classmate. Sakuragi belongs to another section. I'm sorry but I won't take down the previous chapter of the story so we can just move on, ne?**

CHAPTER 17 – The Unexpected Pair-Up

"Okay, class. as you all know that next week is going to be the annual school festival." An enthusiastic Okano Hajime-sensei announced to the class.

"And in the spirit of camaraderie and fairness, all your names are in this box I have here. Each one of you will take a piece of paper and the name you get is who you will be partnered with, understood?"

"HAI!" The class chorused.

Noriko winked at Hanasen.

"Alright...i'm going to call your name and you approach the table and pull out a name from this box." Okano-sensei patted the blue box on his desk.

"Yamaguchi Noriko!"

"HAI!" She dug her hand inside the box and fumbled. She hoped so badly that she will get Hanasen's name.

She pulled out a paper and handed it to the teacher.

"Your partner is Makoto Hajime." Okano-sensei read the content of the paper then wrote Noriko's name at the back of the paper and set it aside.

Noriko nodded and made a bee line towards Hanasen's desk and gave her a sad pout. Hanasen pouted sadly in reply.

As Noriko took her seat, she gave a quick smack at the boy's nape who was seated in front of her.

"ITAII!" The boy yelled and rubbed his nape.

"Makoto, what the heck?" Okane-sensei frowned.

"Nothing, sensei." Makoto slunked in his seat and shot back at Noriko an evil eye. Noriko merely narrowed her eyes at him and stuck out her tongue.

"Alright, next...Hanasen Sumeragi." Okano-sensei announced.

Hanasen stood up and walked towards the teacher's desk. She sighed and dug her hand inside the box and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the teacher.

"Your partner is Kaede Rukawa."

If one could picture a synchronized jaw dropping action, that was exactly what happened in the class. Hanasen could only manage a very defeated look and walks back to her seat with her head low.

"Alright, next..."

For Hanasen everything was sounding like a loud buzz in her ear. She glanced at Noriko who just gave her a pout and a shrug.

This is insane, her mind yelled. Of all the shittiest luck I ever had, WHY HIM? ARGH! I can't do this. I have to do something before it's too late.

She suddenly raises her hand to the teacher.

"What is it, Sumeragi-san?" Okano-sensei frowned.

"Anou..is it possible to switch with someone else?" She grinned.

Everyone looked at her incredulously but all the girls' eyes looked hopeful. The boys snickered. The only one who looked at her confused was Rukawa.

"No." Okano-sensei shook his head.

"But why not?" Hanasen looked at him pleadingly.

"Rukawa-kun, do you have a problem being partnered with Sumeragi-san?"

Rukawa eyed the teacher sleepily and shook his head.

"No problem then. End of discussion. Take your seat, Sumeragi-san."

A collective unhappy sigh was heard from the class as Hanasen slowly slunked back to her seat. The class went on and all Hanasen could do was look out the window trying her best not to listen. The entire class period made her feel impatient to get out of class.

Thankfully, the bell rings to signal the time for lunch break.

"Yamaguchi-san, I need you to take these folders to the faculty office."

"Hai, sensei." Noriko nodded.

"Hana-chan, I'll join you for lunch, okay. Just wait for me at the cafeteria." Noriko smiled at Hanasen.

"sure thing." As Hanasen exits the room to go to the cafeteria, she had no idea she was being followed.

At the cafeteria, Hanasen gets ambushed by a crowd of female classmates.

"Choose me, Hana-chan! No! Choose me, Sumeragi-san! Please! Please! Onegai! HANA-CHAN! HANASEN! SUMERAGI-SAN!" They all chorused

Everyone was bribing her with lunch money, bento boxes till the end of the school year, club membership, flowers, promises to do all her homework for the entire school year. One even offered to massage her feet after each PE class. Hanasen felt trapped. _This is exactly why I don't want to be partnered with that Rukawa. _

Noriko shows up at the cafeteria but Hanasen was nowhere in plain sight. Only then did she notices a crowd across the hallway when she hears her best friend's name.

OH NO!

She pushes herself inside the crowd and tries to detangle her friend away from the clutches of their desperate female classmates.

"Get away from her, you losers! Leave her alone. We haven't even had lunch yet. Geez!"

One girl glares and says, "Oh yeah! we know you like Rukawa, Noriko. You're gonna try to manipulate her so you can her switch with you."

"What the hell did you say?" Noriko's eyes twitched. She was ready to pounce at her. How dare she!

Hanasen was fully aware of Noriko's temper about to flare and things could get ugly if she didn't do something about it fast. Noriko was a lot worse when she was hungry too. The little pipsqueak who dared Noriko wouldn't last 30 seconds.

"Noriko-chan..drop it. Let's go." Hana grabs her friend's arm and pulls her away before an impending fight.

"BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR DEAL, HANA-CHAN!" One of the girls complained.

"Eat lunch, you losers! She's not switching with any of you!" Noriko yelled at them as Hanasen tugged on her as they walked away.

They decided to eat at the grassy school grounds instead of the cafeteria to dodge their classmates. Noriko began snarfing at her sandwich. She still looked visibly annoyed from earlier but the tuna cheese sandwich was making her forget her temper after each bite.

"Man, I can't believe I'm gonna be working with that boy. No way. I'd much rather clean the entire school than work with him." Hanasen was fuming.

"Oh come on, it's gonna be alright. You'll be fine. Besides, it would be fun to see how those losers are gonna salivate. Hahahahaha!" Noriko pulls another sandwich from her bag.

"THIS SUCKS!" Hanasen pounded the grassy soil with her fist.

"Calm down, will you? We can still talk to the teacher and see if he can make an exception."

"Oh crap..not Okano-sensei. you know what a classic butthead he is. He won't budge. All Shohoku will come tumbling down but he will not budge." Hanasen sighed.

"Oh yeah." Noriko sighed in realization and agreement.

"Noriko-chan?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you wanna switch with me?" Hanasen grinned at her.

"What the? Oh no! Don't tempt me, Hana-chan. We were just talking that Okano-sensei won't budge and here you are giving me that offer?"

"Seriously, girl. I am not happy with my life right now." Hanasen looked at her pleadingly.

"I said don't tempt me!" Noriko squeezed her eyes shut.

"But you gotta help me please!"

"Rules are rules, Hana-chan. i have this shitty ass role as class secretary and you know the shitty ass pressure that comes with it. They'd give me hell and drag you down with me. I won't let that happen. You know that." Noriko gently squeezed Hana's hand.

SILENCE.

"So what in the world am I gonna do now?" Hanasen grabbed a fistful of her hair in frustration.

"well...I can help you set up your booth and I'll drop by your booth as much as I can and help you out. How about that?" Noriko massaged her shoulder.

Hansen thought about it momentarily. "I think that's great. Thanks, Noriko-chan. I love you".

"I love you too. But damn, girl! Those losers would have killed to be with Rukawa." Noriko laughed.

"Yeah, whatever...you won't believe what they were willing to bribe me with. Hey, what kind of soda did you get?" Hanasen mused.

"Fanta orange your favorite." Noriko handed her soda.

"NICE!" Hanasen gave out a wide smile.

Unbeknownst to them, Rukawa was having his lunch behind a large tree and was just within earshot of the conversation they were having. He smirks.


	18. The Kiss that would NOT happen

**CHAPTER 18 – The Kiss that would not happen**

"Ne, Hana-chan! Come on let's go home now." Noriko looked at her as she adjusted the strap of her bag.

"I can't." Hanasen frowned.

"Eh? Why not?"

"I'm supposed to have this meeting with Rukawa-kun to discuss what we can sell in our booth."

"Ok. Cool. I'll wait for you then."

"Really? It's okay? I've been waiting here for 30 minutes and he still hasn't shown up."

"Why? Where is he anyway?"

"He said the Shohoku team have a quick meeting at the gymnasium."

"Oh, alright then. Let's go there."

When they arrived, the gymnasium was already quiet. There we no more bikes parked outside except for one.

Rukawa's bike.

Hanasen wanted to scream and kick the bike.

"Oh what the hell? I've been waiting for 30 minutes. He said he'd show up and he hasn't and everyone has already left? I was wasting my time for THIS?"

"Chill. Maybe he's still inside practicing while waiting for you." Noriko patted her back.

"We were not supposed to meet in the gymnasium. We were supposed to meet in the classroom." Hanasen was seething as they walked together towards the gymnasium.

"Eh? where is he?"

"He's not in here." Hanasen wanted to cry.

"Hmmm...let me check..." Noriko walked further inside the gymnasium as Hanasen stood by the doorway.

"Oh." Noriko sounded surprised.

"what?" Hanasen looked at her.

Noriko pointed..

Rukawa was fast asleep on one of the benches.

_Oh dear..this is not good_, Hanasen's mind screamed.

"What do I do, Noriko-chan?" She walked towards the bench as they looked at the narcoleptic basketball player.

"Well...uhm...we could wait till he wakes up." Noriko shrugged.

"Are you serious? Why don't we just wake him up then." Hanasen was so close to flinging her bag at Rukawa's head.

"No way! What if it's a totally bad idea to do that? He has that sleeping condition thing going on." Noriko shook her head in firm disagreement.

They looked at him helplessly and decided to sit at one fo the benches. Fifteen minutes have elapsed and still Rukawa showed no signs of waking up. The two best friends have been playing Janken Po to distract themselves.

"Noriko-chan...come on! It's your turn!" Hanasen poked her friend's shoulder. But Noriko didn't look like she was interested in playing anymore. Her gaze was already fixated at Rukawa.

"What are you thinking?" Hanasen looked at her.

Noriko sighed but not breaking her view of the narcoleptic. "I wonder what it's like to kiss him."

Hanasen's eyes rounded. Her mouth opened a bit in surprise and curled into a naughty smile. She put her arm around Noriko's shoulder and leaned on her.

"Go on. You can do it. I think it's the perfect opportunity. We're the only ones left here anyway." Hanasen playfully nudged her.

Noriko looked at her friend intently and swallowed. She stood up and walked towards the sleeping classmate and gazed at his face. A million thoughts rang through her mind. She had dreamed of this moment and everything was coming to place. Yes, Hanasen is right. This is the most perfect opportunity to do this. Now is the time to fulfill all those daydreams she had. Now is the time. Now is the moment.

Hanasen tilted her head and frowned a bit as she watched Noriko just standing there for what seemed like an eternity and simply gazing longingly at the sleeping Rukawa. She thought how pretty Noriko is with her soft and straight long hair tucked behind her ears. She can't think of anyone else who would look good to stand by Rukawa. Though she isn't the athletic type, she exudes strength and confidence. She's also a tall girl by her standards as her best friend stood at a height of 5 feet and 4 inches and they're still high school sophomores. She could still grow taller at this rate.

Noriko closed her eyes as she knelt closely beside him. Their noses touched. She could hear him snore. So close. This is the closest she's ever got to him. All those times they were classmates, she could never do this daring thing. She wanted so much to feel his face but she felt her limbs have frozen to her sides.

And just as the moment she wanted with all her might and desire to appease her long-awaited dream, she was suddenly overwhelmed by fear. She pulled herself back, stood up and walked towards her confused best friend.

"What was that all about?" Hanasen could not hide her surprise and confusion.

"I can't do it." Noriko shook her head but could not look at her.

"Why not? He's right there!" Hanasen pointed at the sleeping figure.

"Exactly. I can't do it. I'm not like you."

"What do you mean not like me?" Hanasen's voice quivered.

"I mean...I don't have your guts."

"I think you're right. I am a pervert." Hanasen pouted and started to cover her face.

Noriko looked up and pried Hanasen's fingers away from her face. "Hey, I didn't mean it that way. You're not a pervert."

"But I am a pervert. I took advantage of a person who was completely vulnerable." Hanasen's tears slowly rolled her cheeks.

"Oh honey..that's not what I meant at all. But you defining it that way...well..." Noriko chuckled and rubbed her cheeks with her thumb.

"Proves I really am a pervert." Hanasen sniffled.

"Let's put it this way...My fear is proportionate to the level of guts you did for the same act."

"Huh?"

"We both wanted to do the same thing. The only difference is you did it and I couldn't even if I wanted to. You're not a pervert for having done it. You were very brave and I'm not but it doesn't mean I don't want to do it. I wish I had your guts. You understand? The point is, we both loved the person we wanted to do this to. You loved that guy so you were able to do it. I guess in my case, I love Rukawa so much that I couldn't do it."

Hanasen studied her for a moment and then nodded her head. She could not totally grasp what Noriko just said but she probably will when she gets home. By then she will have time to reflect on everything's that happened today.

"It's getting dark outside. It won't be long, the janitor's gonna poke his head through the doorway." Noriko looked at her watch and almost shrieked.

"WHAT?"

"Oh my God! I totally forgot! Tet-chan's classes is only half day today. He told me their school was having some teacher's day thing. Oh my God! He's home alone! Oh my God! I'm so sorry, Hana-chan. I really gotta go. The poor thing must be worried. I promised I'll be home sooner." Noriko was in a panic as she grabbed her bag.

"Oh my God! Go! Go! Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll just wait here. I'll wait for the janitor to drop by." Hanasen escorted her quickly towards the exit.

"Call me later tonight, okay?" Noriko looked back at her and waved.

"I promise. You be careful! Tell Tet-chan, I'm sorry for keeping you here." Hanasen waved back as she watched Noriko walking away quickly towards the school gate.

"No problem! You be careful too! See you tomorrow, Hana-chan!" Noriko yelled.

Hanasen smiled and kept waving goodbye at her friend. She walked back to the benches and took her bag. _I can't stay here until you wake up, you doofus! I'm going to look for a janitor and wake you up instead. Oh man...and we still haven't discussed our plans for the booth. Oh this is nuts!_


	19. The Fox who turned human

**Chapter 19 – The Fox Who Turned Human**

Just as she has decided to leave, Rukawa began to stir. She felt her heart beat wildly. _Argh! FINALLY! _Her mind berated her.

Rukawa stirred and sat up. He rubbed whatever sleep he still had in his eyes. Scratched his hair and breathed deeply. His eyes wandered around the gymnasium and found himself face to face with a girl whose neck-length wavy hair carefully tucked behind her ear with a red buttefly clip. Her eyes big and expressive. She was neither too skinny or too chubby either and had fair skin. But she was a short girl barely 5 feet by his estimate. She was just standing, frowning and expecting him to say something. Rukawa surprised himself for having studied a girl's appearance before him. He normally didn't think much of it before with the other girls who swarmed and followed him around. But why would this girl be so different?

"Sumeragi-san?" Rukawa broke the silence.

"What do you think?" Hanasen managed an uneasy smile.

And finally it dawned to him like a slap on the face, Rukawa realized why she of all people had been standing there in front of him. The meeting! They were supposed to discuss about plans on what to sell in their booth during the school festival. He took a quick look in his digital sports watch and looked back at her.

"Oh no...I'm so..."

"Let's get out of here." She interrupted him. Truth is she didn't want to hear it. She could anticipate an apology coming but that's not what she wanted. She just wanted to get this done and over with and go home. It was getting late. The janitor would be poking his head anytime soon and she didn't want the guy to get any stupid ideas of a female and male student inside the gymnasium together when everyone's already gone home.

She walked ahead of him not bothering to wait for him to grab his things. She didn't want to be seen getting out of the gymnasium together. It sure was getting dark outside which added more to her frustration but at least Rukawa has finally decided to wake up. She wouldn't have been able to stick around for another 15 minutes waiting for him to come back to Earth, she sighed.

Rukawa quickly grabbed his things and caught up with her. It was an awkward moment. She didn't want to look at him. He nervously combed his hair with his right hand. They walked towards his bike and he began to unlock the chain. She was looking away.

"Maybe we should leave the school now." Rukawa began to move his bike holding onto the handle bars and walked beside it. Hanasen shot him a glance and nodded in agreement but she kept a good distance away from him.

"Hey, how about we talk in McDonald's. I'm kind of hungry. You don't mind, do you?" Rukawa sounded hopeful.

"Alright." She nodded again.

Upon reaching McDonald's and parking his bike. They entered the establishment. Thankfully there wasn't a long cue. Rukawa motioned her to find a table they can sit together while he stood in line to order some food.

Hanasen found a table that was situated near the glass wall where she could see people passing through the busy street. She took out her notebook and pen and scribbled: **Booth plan** at the header of the page. When she looked up, she sees Rukawa with a tray of food. He placed a large soda to her side of the table and a cheeseburger.

"Eh? You didn't have to. I'm not really hungry." She was really surprised at his gesture.

"Well, I thought this is the least I could do for you having to wait for me till I woke up." Rukawa began unwrapping his double cheeseburger.

She merely stared at him and took a sip from the large soda. Coke. She hated Coke. She is a Fanta girl always has been and always will be. But she didn't want to complain. She discovered that Rukawa had a human side to him after all. She wasn't in the mood for a burger though. She would have wanted to eat Ramen instead. She watched as he snarfed into his double cheeseburger and took large gulps from his soda. He ate fast too.

"You haven't touched your cheseburger." He looked at her concerned.

"Well I already told you I wasn't really hungry. But I'll keep this for later. Thanks." She managed a small smile.

"Oh okay." Rukawa smiled back at her.

"So let's talk about what to do for our booth. What we're gonna sell." Hanasen began to fiddle with her pen.

"I don't know. Whatever you want, I guess." Rukawa shrugged. He wasn't really big on festivals. Last year, he had his partner decide whatever he wanted and he just went along with it. This year should be no different except being partnered with a girl this time. A girl who clearly didn't want to be partnered with him either yet waited for him. This time he was willing to go with whatever she wanted and he meant that in a good way compared to the lackluster way he agreed with his partner's booth ideas last year.

"Alright...so what do you think about selling takoyaki?" She scribbled takoyaki and a question mark beside it.

"Sure." Rukawa nodded.

"Do you know how to make takoyaki?"

"No." Rukawa shook his head.

"Figures." She mumbled to herself.

"Eh? You said something?" Rukawa raised an eyebrow.

"I'll make takoyaki then. You help me sell it. You think you could handle that?" She looked at him questioningly.

"No problem." Rukawa shook his head and smiled.

They discussed about the ingredients, how and where they would get it. The design of their booth. Most of the time Rukawa just listened as she made suggestions and asking his opinion for each of them. He easily agreed with her ideas. He felt good looking forward to working with her. She was practical and straightforward. A bit businesslike in her approach but she didn't waste her time by asking him personal questions like other classmates especially girls did whenever they were partnered with him for a school project.

"Alright, it's settled then. See you on Monday." She closed her notebook and put it back in her bag. She took another small sip of her Coke and stashed the cheeseburger in her bag.

"Will you be taking the bus home?" Rukawa asked.

"Yes." She lied.

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?" Hanasen raised an eyebrow.

"Well I thought I'd give you a ride on my bike to the bus stop." Rukawa studied her reaction.

"No need. I can get there on my own really." She grinned.

"Well, I don't really live very far from here anyways." Rukawa added.

_I know, _she sighed to herself. She knew where he lived when Noriko dragged her around to stalk him last year despite her staunch refusal. When Noriko was determined about something or someone, she was the most determined person and would act upon it at the soonest possible time even if she had to drag her around kicking and screaming.

"So yeah...thanks for the food." As she was stood up to leave, Rukawa looked at his soda.

"Sumeragi-san..."

"Eh?"

"Thanks so much for waiting for me. No one has ever done that for me before." Rukawa looked at her seriously.

"Yeah sure...no problem." She felt her eyebrow twitch. She gave him a slight bow and proceeded to leave the restaurant as Rukawa's eyes followed her until she began to cross the busy street and blended into the crowd.

_What a strange girl, _Rukawa chuckled to himself and consumed what's left of his soda.


End file.
